Very few people have had the impact on pop culture fandom that James Cameron has. When he talks, people listen. He helped give life to one of film’s greatest female badasses, the Terminator franchise’s Sarah Conner.  That’s why his continued statements about Wonder Woman threw so many people off. He considered Gal Gadot’s take on the character objectifying and too beautiful. Lynda Carter, who played the character in the 1970’s TV show, was not having any of it. She had this to say about Cameron’s comments
“To James Cameron – STOP dissing WW: You poor soul. Perhaps you do not understand the character. I most certainly do. Like all women–we are more than the sum of our parts. Your thuggish jabs at a brilliant director, Patty Jenkins, are ill advised. This movie was spot on. Gal Gadot was great. I know, Mr. Cameron–because I have embodied this character for more than 40 years. So–STOP IT.”
No matter where you stand on Cameron’s remarks it can’t be argued that Wonder Woman was a huge hit this summer. There have been female action stars (including the before mentioned Sarah Connor and Ripley from the Alien franchise, both of which James created or directed), but Wonder Woman is not only the first major Superhero movie with a female lead, but also the first with a female director. Add to that the fact that it saved the current crop of DC Films from critical doldrums and you have a great and important movie on your hands. Will Cameron’s Avatar sequels have the same success? I guess we will find out.
Check out Wonder Woman in DC’s next film, Justice League, hitting theaters November 17, 2017.
